What's Happening

HI ALL......

Itâs mid-December and a good time to pass along whatâs been happening here. I havenât seen or spoken to many of you though thanks to Facebook Iâve managed to see what youâre doing and enjoyed a great deal of your art and âlife happeningsâ.

Quick synopsis

Late November 2011 began building my studio. Enormous thanks is due my husband Pete, Mitch Todd, Walter Kronner, Steve Bianco of Marlboro Mountain Construction, Porpiglia Electric and our super-helpful local building inspector. I learned a lot. Artist friends like Christine Debrosky and Mally De Somma generously shared what they had learned while building their own studios. Thank you all.

During the summer of 2012 I took a break from studio construction and finishing to study for a week with Peter Fiore, a dynamic and wonderful teacher and artist. Learned so much and met some terrific fellow artists. Returned home rarinâ to go and moved into my completed studio. Yeah!!!

Eye Surgeries - A Long Journey

In late September 2012 I began to see flashes in my right eye- detached retina.
Was concerned but knew many folks who had them and recovered quickly. Three surgeries and laying facedown for what seemed like endless days failed to rectify the problem, the retina kept re-detaching despite a âbuckleâ being placed in my eye. The vision in my right eye was merely a blur ( probably was a good thing as after that procedure my husband said I looked like Rocky Balboa after a bad fight). Was finally sent to Harkness Eye Institute in NYC. Had my first of 3 procedures there in January 2013. After each it was a waiting game but gradually there was improvement; but itâs been a scary, scary time.

Had what I hope is my final procedure October 2, of this year. It will take up to 6 months to know the final results but my vision is finally clearing and after the last of the sutures are removed, a new eyeglass prescription should allow me to see well. At the end of July I was allowed to return to my studio and began using both oil and pastel, the later on a limited basis for fear of eye infection.

During this time my family and friends have been amazing. No words can fully describe all theyâve done from driving me when I couldnât see to picking me up when my spirits hit the floor. Their encouragement was a major ingredient of my recovery. I love and thank them all.